Moonrise Photography

Moonrise Photography: Capturing the Celestial Dance

Moonrise photography is my personal passion project, a journey into the mystical beauty of the moon as it graces our skies. I’m Daniel Geesen, and I’ve devoted myself to meticulously planning and capturing moonrises in perfect alignment with local landmarks, like the iconic Rockabill Lighthouse and the enchanting Shenick Island Martello Tower in Skerries. Let me take you on a celestial journey inspired by personal experiences and the magic of lunar photography.

A Fateful Encounter: Seattle’s Moonset

My fascination with moonrise photography began with a chance encounter in 2007 while in living in Seattle. Walking home from work one evening, (or wait, was it early morning and I was walking to work? Regardless!) I witnessed a photographer and his partner set up their tripod in the middle of a quiet road which was perfectly aligned with a distant chapel. The moon was poised to descend directly behind it. The result was a breath-taking spectacle as the moon gracefully fell into place. I was not only amazed by the moment but also deeply impressed by the foresight and meticulous planning that went into capturing it. I didn’t want to plagiarise the photographer, but it I really wanted to learn how we planned that.

A Celestial Re-Awakening: Moonrise in Turkey

My second formative lunar photography experience occurred during my travels in Turkey in 2010. By sheer chance, I found myself in the right place at the right time to witness a crescent moon setting beside a picturesque lighthouse, moonlight dancing in the reflecting waves. This serendipitous event reignited my motivation to capture the moon’s alignment with my own favourite local landmarks.

Moonrise in Skerries: A Personal Journey

In Skerries, most of these cherished landmarks lie to the East, making them perfect for capturing the rising moon. I have a particular affinity for photographing the full moon as it breaks over the horizon, but this pursuit is not without its challenges. Ireland’s unpredictable weather often obscures this breath-taking event with pesky clouds. Sometimes, I meticulously plan these moonrises months in advance, only to have my efforts thwarted by the cloudy whims of Mother Nature. Classic Ireland.

From Solitude to Shared Passion

When I began my moonrise photography journey in Ireland, it was a companion-less one. In the first few years I never ran into another photographer, and I actually never saw a photograph of a moonrise in Ireland before I started (I’m sure they were out there – but it wasn’t in on my radar, in fairness I lived under a rock) However, over the years, the landscape (pun intended) has changed dramatically. Just within the last decade that the trend has caught on and seems to be spreading like wildfire. Now, when I arrive at my chosen location, I often find a community of photographers, standing in a neat line with tripods and telephoto lenses fully extended. We share the common goal of capturing the moonrise in perfect alignment with our chosen compositions. Cloud gods willing.

The Power of Technology: Planning with Precision

I think one of if not the big reasons for this upsurge in the practice is that apps like Photopills have taken all the work out of planning! Previously I had to use Google Earth, pull moon azimuth data from a third source, add a custom graphic I had to create and import to google earth, aligning to my chosen landmark and manually draw out a plan to determine exact when to photograph from where. I imagine the Seattle photographer I encountered and any other photographers practicing the hobby had a similar process. But long gone are those days. With modern technology, planning a moonrise photoshoot has become as easy as tapping an icon on your phone! If you are interested in aligning the Moon, Sun, or any celestial bodies in one of your photos I would definitely recommend going that route.

Moonrise Prints

As I’ve expressed before, as a photographer, nothing makes my day more than someone liking one of my photos so much they want to invest in a print! Skerries moonrises are one of my most frequently requested prints. Contact me if you’d like to bring a piece of lunar magic to your home interior.